Tafsir Mujahid
- Author died
- 104 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Fikr al-Islāmī al-Ḥadīthah
Tafsir Mujahid is an early Quranic commentary attributed to the Meccan Successor Mujahid ibn Jabr (d. 104 AH / 722 CE), compiled from his exegetical interpretations and transmissions from Abdullah ibn Abbas .
Origin and Transmission
The core material of the work derives from Mujahid's studies under Ibn Abbas, before whom he reviewed the Quran multiple times—stopping at every verse to inquire about its meaning and context of revelation—and recorded these explanations on writing slates . The primary transmission of Mujahid's exegesis centers on his disciple Abdullah ibn Abi Najih (d. 131 AH) .
The surviving manuscript of the work is transmitted through the chain of Abu al-Qasim Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Hasan al-Hamadhani, from Ibrahim ibn Dizil (d. 281 AH), from Adam ibn Abi Iyas (d. 220 AH), from Warqa ibn Umar (d. 161 AH), from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid . Other classical authorities, notably al-Tabari, frequently transmitted Mujahid's commentary through parallel paths, such as Isa ibn Maymun from Ibn Abi Najih .
Because the manuscript incorporates supplementary narrations from other authorities transmitted by Adam ibn Abi Iyas—including reports via Isra'il, Abu Ja'far al-Razi, and al-Hasan al-Basri—some scholars, such as Hikmat Bashir Yasin, argue that the compilation represents the exegesis collection of Adam ibn Abi Iyas rather than a book authored exclusively by Mujahid .
Structure and Method
The commentary is arranged according to the traditional sequence of chapters in the Quran . It does not provide a verse-by-verse gloss for the entire text; rather, it addresses select phrases, rare words, and specific verses within each surah .
Mujahid's method emphasizes:
- Lexical explanation: Defining difficult vocabulary and clarifying grammatical idioms .
- Context and background: Explaining occasions of revelation (asbab al-nuzul) and historical narratives connected to verses .
- Rational and figurative interpretation: Utilizing linguistic reasoning and metaphorical explanations for certain theological expressions .
Reception and Scholarly Standing
Tafsir Mujahid is regarded as one of the foundational texts in Islamic exegetical literature . Sufyan al-Thawri praised its authority, stating, "If commentary comes to you from Mujahid, it is sufficient for you" . Classical compilers heavily drew upon Mujahid's statements, including al-Shafi'i, al-Bukhari in the commentary section of his Sahih, and al-Tabari in his Jami' al-Bayan .
Some early figures voiced reservations about certain positions attributed to Mujahid, noting his reliance on reasoned interpretation or reports that he consulted Jewish and Christian informants regarding narrative details .
Manuscript and Publication
The work survived in a single manuscript preserved at Dar al-Kutub al-Misriyya in Cairo (Tafsir MS 1075) . It was edited by Abd al-Rahman al-Tahir ibn Muhammad al-Surti and published in two volumes under the sponsorship of the government of Qatar in 1396 AH / 1976 CE, after which it was reprinted in Beirut .
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